Photo source: ihanuman.com

By Brandi Woolf, Mother Earth News
February 20, 2014

PeppermintSpring is floating around out there somewhere, just waiting for its moment to, well, spring. It’s been quite the winter around the majority of the country, bringing moisture that was well needed; there is no arguing that. I think for most of us though, we are ready to move on. We are ready to dig our hands into the dirt and feel the sunshine on our faces.

One of the things I most look forward to is the smell of mint in the air. It grows wild throughout my yard and when a strong breeze kicks up, it sets me on a peppermint cloud, bringing me to a standstill from whatever task I happen to be involved in at the moment. I know that for many, the mint family is a nuisance, spreading like wildfire wherever its heart desires. But for me, that nuisance was a blessing for my less than green thumb when I began my journey into the gardening world. And when I discovered just how useful the sprawling bugger was, it was easy to say: let it grow.

Peppermint Healing Properties

Though many in the mint family pack a whole health wallop, the herb we are loving on presently is Mentha Piperita, or Peppermint. This common weed is widely used for its properties as an antibacterial (inhibiting the growth of bacteria), antiseptic (applied to skin to prevent bacterial growth), and carminative (to relieve gas and griping). It is also a mild analgesic (pain relief without loss of consciousness) and has nervine (calm nervous tension and nourish the nervous system) properties.

Let’s begin with the easiest and most common form for getting that healing dose of peppermint: A simple cup of tea, made by steeping about 1 tsp of the dried herb or 2 tsp of the fresh leaves in 8 ounces of boiled water for about 15 minutes, is a lovely remedy for many everyday ailments, including headaches and stomach upset. Drinking a cup of peppermint tea about an hour after a meal helps to keep your digestive juices in working order and when taken prior to eating, might help you to avoid gas pains. Its mild anesthetic properties can sooth the stomach wall and relieve the vomiting associated with pregnancy and motion sickness.

Peppermint can help to relieve anxiety and maintain focus, aiding those who deal with daily stress. And while it can be a soothing herb, it also has the opposite function of encouraging circulatory flow and treating lethargy. A cup or two of a stronger brew, say a tbsp of herb per 8 ounces hot water, can offer you a boost without the caffeine hangover. It’s a valuable help for colds and flu. I usually turn to peppermint when I feel a cold coming on. Making an extra strong dose and letting it steep for an hour or two will usually do the trick when caught early. Right now though, I go easy on the peppermint because I’m breastfeeding and it has been known to reduce mother’s milk.

Other Uses  for Peppermint

Another way to utilize the tea is for compresses. Soaking a clean towel in the hot, steeped herb can do wonders for headaches. Just place the towel on your forehead, lie down and relax. You can use the same method for sunburn. Just allow the towel to cool and replace as needed.

In addition to the herb, I always keep some pure peppermint essential oil on hand. It packs a bigger punch than the fresh or dried herb and one or two drops will usually do the job. A drop massaged into each temple always eases my headaches. Be sure to wash your hands afterwards because you DO NOT want to get it in your eyes. If you do: washing your eyes out with cool water will usually help. Because of its antiseptic properties, a couple drops of the oil on a minor kitchen burn or scrape can help sterilize the skin and ease the pain.

Putting a few drops into steaming water and draping your head over the water with a towel can relieve sinus congestion. You can also put a couple drops into your palms and rub them together briskly, creating warmth, and then cup your hands at your nose and breathe deeply. This also helps for concentration and focus. But be careful to only breathe this two or three times, as this can stimulate the heart and possibly cause lightheadedness and burning eyes. Use in an aromatherapy diffuser to provide an overall uplifting and enthusiastic feeling to any room.

I keep a bar of peppermint soap in my shower. For me, there is nothing like the magic of mint in a steaming bath or shower. It lifts my spirit and is super soothing for skin rashes. Adding a few drops of oil to your favorite lotion makes a great foot balm, and gargling with an infusion of the herb freshens the breath!

While the benefits of this herb are far-reaching, exercise caution if you are pregnant or nursing. Do not overuse peppermint in any form for any condition. The suggestions printed here are from experiences I’ve benefited from personally and do not mean they will work the same for you. Every body is different. Consult your doctor if you are more comfortable doing so.

The possibilities of this aromatic herb are many, far more than what I’ve included here. I encourage you to explore it further and maybe plant some in your own yard to enjoy its plentiful benefits. However, if you would like to avoid a mint takeover, I’d suggest potting it.

Visit me at Folkways Farm, to read about urban farm life and the happy shenanigans of my family! Thanks for reading Mother Earth News!

My resources for this article include: The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal, by David Hoffmann, The Essential Herbal for Natural Health, by Holly Bellebuono, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood, and The Way of Herbs, by Michael Tierra.

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Happy Visakha Puja to all my Buddhist friends. Visakha Puja is a very sad and a very happy day for Buddhists. The day Buddha was born, the day he attained enlightenment and the day he entered nirvana.

Ed Andrieski, AP, May 12, 2014

Much of Interstate 80 in southern Wyoming was closed Monday after a spring storm brought up to 3 feet of snow to the Rockies and severe thunderstorms and tornadoes to the Midwest.

A flash flood watch was in effect for portions of Oklahoma and Arkansas, where more than 4 inches of rain were possible. Meanwhile, residents in eastern Nebraska were cleaning up from Sunday’s thunderstorms and twisters, which ripped roofs off homes and toppled buildings, but caused no major injuries. People in the western Panhandle woke up to a blanket of heavy, wet snow. (AP)

Snow covers spring flowers in Denver on Monday, May 12, 2014. A spring
storm that has brought over a foot of snow to parts of Colorado, Wyoming
and Nebraska and thunderstorms and tornadoes to the Midwest was slowing
down travelers and left some without power Monday morning. (AP Photo/Ed
Andrieski)

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By Diane Stopyra, Photograph by Adam Voorhes
Details, May 6, 2014

The eponymous New York City eatery aside, butter has long been a turnoff to health-conscious foodies. For decades, they’ve read the reports, sniggered at the BMI of Paula Deen fans, and resigned themselves to vegan substitutes. Now the medical community is doing an about-face: Turns out, butter has saturated fats found to be health-promoting.

Which is why you should try ghee. A staple of Ayurvedic medicine and Indian cuisine, ghee is made by heating butter until the milk solids are separated and then removed, meaning it’s not dairy, just fat—mostly saturated—which is essential to brain health, muscle recovery, and immunity. That fact has paleo and elimination dieters buzzing about ghee (it was recently added to both plans’ approved-edibles lists). “All commercial kitchens use it,” says chef Carrie Nahabedian of Michelin-starred Naha in Chicago. It’s ideal for cooking at high heat (less prone than olive oil to go rancid when crisping or frying). And, with a rich, nutty flavor, it’s delicious on everything from lobster to Brussels sprouts.

Yet some experts suggest moderation until there’s more science. “I’ve not found any clear indication that ghee has health or medicinal benefits,” says David Katz, M.D., founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. “There’s a lot of folklore.” While Western research is limited, studies including one in the journal ARYA Atherosclerosis have shown ghee has positive effects on cholesterol and fatty lipids in the blood.

“Ghee offers the benefits of a high-fat dairy product without the downsides,” says Melissa Hartwig, a certified sports nutritionist and best-selling author of It Starts With Food. Among the pros: aided digestion, detoxification, and weight loss. “It’s not a hippie, far-out-there thing,” Hartwig adds. “It’s taking a healthy food and making it better.”

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AP, May 14, 2014

FRITCH, Texas (AP) — A wildfire that set a mobile home community in the Texas Panhandle ablaze was mostly contained Monday although some areas continued to smolder, emergency officials said.

Hundreds of people around Lake Meredith, between the towns of Sanford and Fritch, evacuated their homes Sunday afternoon as firefighters battled flames and thick plumes of smoke across two miles of dry, dusty plains. Some moved to an ad hoc shelter in a high school gymnasium, others to the sanctuary of a local church serving the rural communities some 30 miles northeast of Amarillo.

The fire was about 80 percent contained by midday Monday with the aid of humidity from storm systems in the area, according to Jason Wright, Hutchinson County’s assistant emergency management coordinator.

“We still have some structures that are smoldering but we don’t have an active fire,” Wright said.

Caption: In this Sunday, May 11, 2014 photo provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a wildfire burns near Fritch, Texas. The wildfire has led to evacuations and road closures and has destroyed dozens of homes. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Public Safety, Chris Ray)

Still, Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Chris Ray said 30 mph winds continued to pose a threat to the lake community’s 2,100 residents.

“The wind is stirring up the dirt, smoke and soot, so there are visibility issues along with battling the fire,” Ray said.

The wildfire could have been started by a burning shed, Wright said.

The Panhandle chapter of the Red Cross concentrated about 130 evacuees in the Sanford-Fritch High School gym. Red Cross coordinator Steve Pair said about 200 people checked into the shelter last night, and evacuees have been in and out throughout the day.

It is the first wildfire in the area since February 2011 during one of the worst droughts in Texas history. Twelve people were killed in a March 2006 wildfire that burned nearly 1 million acres.

Some 25 fire departments in a 165-mile radius responded to the most recent fire.

“We had so many people respond to it right away that we were able to get a better hold of it,” Wright said.

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Reuters, May 12, 2014

ROME (Reuters) – A migrant boat believed to be carrying around 200 people has sunk south of the island of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, Italian authorities said on Monday, a day after at least 40 people died when a boat sank off the Libyan coast.

An Italian navy spokesman said vessels from the Mare Nostrum task force, set up after hundreds of people drowned in migrant boat disasters last year, were on their way to the scene.
No further details were immediately available.

(Reporting By James Mackenzie; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Learn to forgive others so that you can release
yourself from being held captive by the very
negative thoughts around you.

― Stephen Richards